Rhinoceros Facts | KidsKonnect Worksheets / Science / Animals /Rhinoceros Facts Rhinoceros Facts There are five types of rhinoceros: White, Indian, Javan, Black and Sumatran. Each of the species have distinct variations that set them apart. The black and white rhinos live in Africa, the Indian rhino lives in India and the Javan and Sumatran rhinos live in Indonesia. Rhinos have lived on earth for over 50 million years and today, they can have a lifespan of 35 to 40 years. Keep reading for more facts and information on these powerful animals. The white rhino’s name comes from the Dutch word “weit” which means wide and is talking about their wide, square muzzle. The white rhino is also actually gray in color. The black rhino is also gray in color and has a hooked lip. Both the black and the white rhino have two horns on their head. The longer horn sits on top of the nose. The horn is actually made up of thickly matted hair instead of bone. The average rhino measures about 60 inches at the shoulder and can weigh form 1 to 2 tons.

A white rhino can stand 6 feet tall at the shoulder and weigh almost 8 thousand pounds or the same as 50 average-sized men. For all its bulk, the rhino is very agile and can quickly turn in a small space. Rhinos can run 40 miles per hour. Rhinos are odd-toed (three toes) ungulates, which means they are mammals that have hooves. Rhinos are more closely related to horses than hippos. Black rhinos have a prehensile upper lip (like a set of fingers) that can be used to pull out the smallest piece of vegetation from a thorn bush. Showing their intelligence, they can also use their lip to open gates and even car doors. The white rhino’s habitat is the grassland and open savanna. The black rhino lives mainly in areas with dense, woody vegetation. All rhinos are herbivores, which means they eats plants and grasses. In fact, white rhinos can eat plants that are toxic to other animals. If it weren’t for the rhino, the African plains would be overtaken with these pesky, poisonous weeds.

The rhino has a symbiotic relationship (where two animals work together to help each other) with oxpeckers, also called tick birds. This bird eats ticks off the rhino’s body and will squawk loudly when danger is near. Rhinos live in home ranges that sometimes overlap with each other. Feeding grounds, water holes and wallows (water where rhinos wallow in the mud) may be shared. The black rhino usually lives by itself, while the white rhino tends to be much more social. Rhinos are also rather ill-tempered and have become more so in areas where they have been constantly disturbed. However, when rhinos spend time with their young and other rhinos, their behavior is more gentle and playful. While their eyesight is poor, which is probably why they will sometimes charge without apparent reason, their sense of smell and hearing are very good. Rhinos have an extended “vocabulary” of snorts, grunts, growls, squeaks, and bellows. When attacking, the rhino lowers its head, snorts, breaks into a gallop reaching speeds of 30 miles an hour, and gores or strikes powerful blows with its horns.

The closest rhino relationship is between a female and her calf. They stay together from 2 to 4 years. As the calf matures, it may leave its mother and join other females and their young, where it is tolerated for some time before living completely on its own. The offspring of the white rhino can weigh 150 pounds at birth and the black rhino’s calf can weigh 100 pounds, The natural predators of the rhino are people. Because the rhino has the predictable behavior of going to its water hole on a daily basis, people can just wait until the rhino shows up and then kill it. Rhinos have been hunted to near extinction, mostly because of their horns, and are now protected and considered an endangered species. The black rhino is a symbol for conservation in Africa, just as the bald eagle is to us.

Primary Sidebar Trusted online source since 1999 Secure payments via Stripe or PayPal Resources created by teaching professionals Secure servers for online safety Excellent customer support Sumatran Rhinoceros | National Geographic Sumatran Rhinoceros A Sumatran rhinoceros photographed at Cincinnati Zoo in Ohio Photograph by Joel Sartore, National Geographic Photo Ark About the Sumatran Rhinoceros The two-horned Sumatran rhinoceros shares the bleak distinction of world’s most endangered rhino with its regional cousin, the Javan rhino. The smallest of the rhino family, the Sumatran rhinoceros lives in isolated pockets in the dense mountain forests of Malaysia, Indonesia, and possibly Myanmar (Burma). Diet Sumatran rhinos are generally solitary creatures that feed on fruit, twigs, leaves, and shrubs. Like other rhinos they have a keen sense of smell and sharp hearing, and they leave a network of scented trails throughout the forest in order to find one another.

Size and Hairy Hide As the smallest rhino, they weigh about 1,760 pounds (800 kilograms), and grow to a height near 5 feet (1.5 meters) at the shoulders and 8 to 10 feet (2.5 to 3.2 meters) in length. Unlike most other rhinos, their hide, dark red-brown in color, is covered with patches of short, dark, stiff hair. The hair helps keep mud caked to the body, which cools the hide and protects it from insects. Rhino Horn and Trafficking The Sumatran rhino’s two horns are considerably smaller than those of their African relatives, the black and white rhinos. The anterior horn may grow up to 31 inches (79 centimeters), but is normally much smaller, while the posterior horn may grow up to 3 inches (10 centimeters), but is generally no more than a hump. The horns for which rhinos are so well known have been their downfall. Many animals have been killed for this hard growth, which is made of a hair-like substance and is revered for medicinal use in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

The horn is also valued in the Middle East, Yemen especially, and North Africa as an ornamental dagger handle. Population and Conservation Listed as critically endangered, there are thought to be fewer than 400 Sumatran rhinos in existence today. While a number of these animals are kept in zoos, they rarely breed in captivity. In 2001 a calf born in the Cincinnati Zoo in Ohio was the first Sumatran rhino born in the United States, and the first successful captive delivery in over 100 years. The main threats to their survival in the wild include poaching and habitat encroachment by humans. © 1996-Thu Jan 12 22:41:50 EST 2017 National Geographic Society. Tiger | San Diego Zoo Animals & Plants San Diego Zoo Animals & Plants SUBSPECIES: 6 ABOUT Black and white and orange all over: The beautiful, striped coat and that powerful, mesmerizing gaze make the tiger one of the world’s most revered animals.

It’s a reverence that’s mixed with a bit of fear, an appropriate reaction to a large, well-muscled, swift hunter with inch-long claws and 3-inch-long (7 centimeter) canine teeth. The tiger is a stalk-and-ambush hunter, and the distinctive stripes are good camouflage in the long grass or wooded forests of their diverse habitat. Dark stripes on a pale background break up the tiger’s outline as it lies in wait for prey to come near. Tigers can also be black with tan stripes, all white (albino), or white and tan. The “white tigers” found in some zoos are not albino but rather the white-and-tan color variation with blue eyes (true albinos have pink eyes). HABITAT AND DIET There are currently six subspecies of tigers, each living in different habitats: flooded mangrove forests, arid forests, tropical forests, and taiga. The different subspecies are found in small areas of Asia, India, and Russia. The largest subspecies lives in snowy areas of Russia. The smallest and darkest subspecies is found farther south, in the jungles of Indonesia. Female tigers are always smaller than males.

Young Amur tiger in the snow. Amur or Siberian tiger Panthera tigris altaica: The largest of the tiger subspecies, males can be as long as a station wagon! These tigers also have the palest orange coat and the fewest stripes, to help it blend in with its snow-covered habitat. As it lives in a very cold climate, the Siberian tiger’s coat grows longer and thicker than other tiger subspecies, and it develops a layer of fat for insulation. There are less than 400 Siberian tigers left in their home range of eastern Russia and northeastern China. Bengal tiger sitting in a tree, India. Bengal or Indian tiger Panthera tigris tigris: This is the most common subspecies of tiger and is almost as large as the Siberian tiger. Fewer than 2,500 Bengal tigers remain in their native habitat of India, Nepal, and Pakistan. By Lotse (Own work) CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons Indochinese tiger Panthera tigris corbetti: These tigers are about 20 percent smaller and are darker than Bengal tigers.

Less than 2,500 Indochinese tigers are believed left in the wild of Southeast Asia. Malayan tiger Malayan tiger Panthera tigris jacksoni: This is the subspecies you’ll see at the San Diego Zoo. In the wild, only about 1,400 Malayan tigers remain, found on the Malay Peninsula. Sumatran tiger Sumatran tiger Panthera tigris sumatrae: Even though the Sumatran is the smallest tiger subspecies, it’s still a pretty big cat. Imagine a tiger the same length as a school cafeteria table! Its orange coat is darker than other subspecies, as it is native to dark jungle habitat on the island of Sumatra; the sides of the face have longer fur, perhaps as protection against jungle plants. The Safari Park has a small group of Sumatran tigers, but in the wild there are less than 400 remaining. South China tiger Panthera tigris amoyensis: These tigers are slightly smaller than the Indochinese subspecies. In the 1950s, the Chinese government ordered that these tigers be destroyed because they were viewed as pests.

Today, it is believed that the South China tiger is most likely extinct in the wild. Tigers are seldom far from a water source; there are Bengal tigers that live in wet mangrove forests along the Ganges River in India. Excellent and powerful swimmers, tigers are often found during the day relaxing or waiting to ambush prey in ponds, streams, and rivers. They seek out water to swim while most cats avoid it. Tigers even have partially webbed toes and aren’t discouraged by a river if there is prey on the other side. A tiger’s front paws are large and strong to bring down prey. The claws can be pulled inside while the tiger walks, which helps keep the claws sharp. Tigers also use their claws to mark their territory by scratching on trees. Conveniently, this also sharpens the claws. Tigers are patient hunters and can move slowly and quietly, stalking their prey (usually hoofed animals) for 20 or 30 minutes. A tiger’s large canine teeth and powerful jaws are used to grab a prey animal by the neck and suffocate it. Tigers use their sandpaper-rough tongues to scrape the last bits of meat from the bones of a meal.

A tiger makes a kill once or twice a week and eats as much as it can. Using its paws, it then covers the leftovers with grass and dirt to hide it from vultures and other scavengers. The tiger returns to the kill over the next few days for smaller snacks. In the wild, they prefer pigs and deer, while in some parts of Asia a tiger may bring down a rhino or elephant calf. At the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, the tigers are fed a specialized carnivore diet, carcasses, and large bones. FAMILY LIFE Going it alone: Tigers are generally solitary cats, unless a female is caring for her cubs, and maintain a home range that can be several square miles, depending on habitat and the amount of prey available; males tend to have larger territories than the females. The Siberian tiger has the largest range (more than 4,000 square miles or 10,000 square kilometers have been recorded) as food is scarcer, so the tiger has to travel farther to secure a meal. Some tigers defend their territory from other tigers while others often share their range.

A female tiger in estrus leaves urine “messages” on trees and other places to let males know of her reproductive status. Through loud moaning calls, a male and female can find each other for breeding and may stay together for a few days before going their separate ways. Tiger cubs are born small and helpless, but the mother must leave them alone while she hunts. A female can have a litter of up to seven cubs every two years. In the wild, the mother could not kill enough prey to feed so many hungry cubs, so usually only two survive. At eight weeks old, cubs join their mother when hunting, and at six months they are ready to learn how to kill cattle, deer, and pigs. Cubs seem to know from the start that they are tigers and practice their hunting skills with each other in what could be considered a form of extreme tag, since the cubs chase, tackle, and wrestle each other, growling ferociously all the while. They often practice ambush skills on their resting mother! Most tiger cubs are weaned when they are about five or six months old, but they usually stay with their mother for about two years and don’t hunt on their own until they leave.

Yet up to half of tiger cubs born do not survive their first year, succumbing to starvation, disease, competition with other species, accidents, and injuries while hunting. Although not as social as lions, tigers vocalize more frequently and have a wide range of vocalizations, including roars, grunts, hisses, and chuffles. A roar is made when challenging other tigers at long range, defending a meal, or attracting a breeding partner; a chuffle is a friendly greeting, usually used between a mother and her cubs. Other forms of tiger communication include spraying urine, leaving piles of feces where they can be seen, and clawing trees or the ground—all to say “this area is mine!” AT THE ZOO Mesmerizing and gorgeous, but also endangered, our tigers are always a pleasure to watch. Over the years, we have had over 100 Bengal, Siberian, Sumatran, and Malayan tigers born at our two facilities. The San Diego Zoo is currently home to Malayan tiger Connor.

The San Diego Zoo Safari Park is home to Sumatran tiger adult males Teddy and Langka; adult females Majel and Joanne; and Joanne's cubs—Suka, a male born in September 2015; and Nelson, Cathy, and Debbie, born in January 2016. Our most famous tiger was Blanca, the white Bengal tiger who came to the San Diego Zoo after being confiscated as a cub by the U.S. Customs Service—she was traveling from San Diego to Mexico in the back seat of someone's car! While her owners explained to officials that the cat was returning to a private zoo in Mexico, young Blanca (she was under three months old at the time) was romping in the back seat and peering out the car's windows. Because special permits are required to transport tigers, the tiger cub was confiscated. However, with no facilities to keep a tiger, the Customs Service temporarily relocated the cub to the San Diego Zoo's own Children's Zoo, where she soon became a favorite of guests and employees. In March 1992, she officially became part of the Zoo family.

In 1996, she moved to the Safari Park, where she continued to thrive and delight guests with her unusual beauty until her passing in 2012. Tigers at the Zoo and Safari Park receive a hearty meat-based diet, imaginative enrichment items, and basic behavioral training for husbandry. For example, our tigers are taught to “rise up” on their hind legs to allow staff to inspect their bellies and paws, they learn to open their mouths so we can ensure their teeth are healthy, and they accept blood draws from the base of their tail for laboratory analysis. All this minimizes stress on the animals in the long run, since they do not have to be tranquilized for a trip to the veterinary hospital for every health issue. Scent is also important to tigers, and it is sometimes used as enrichment, keeping the cats engaged in their environment. Scents include donated perfumes and different herbs and spices, which are dabbed onto burlap sacks or sprinkled in their bedrooms, and the cats joyfully roll around on the scents for hours. The Safari Park's state-of-the-art Tiger Trail features forest clearings, tiger viewing areas, and a pool for the cool cats.

Tiger Trail also plays an integral role in the conservation of Sumatran tigers. We have had 27 Sumatran tigers born at the Park. Scientists estimate this tiger subspecies could be extinct in their native Sumatra by 2020 unless drastic measures are taken to protect and preserve them. Watch the Safari Park's tigers daily on Tiger Cam ! CONSERVATION Tiger cures? There are six subspecies of tiger living today, all highly endangered due to human hunting and encroachment on their forest habitat. To people of many cultures, the tiger is a symbol of strength and courage. But if tigers are so admired, why are they endangered? For many years, tigers have been hunted for their fur and other body parts, some of which are used in native medicines. In some cultures, people hunt tigers for sport or to demonstrate their own bravery. Tiger hunting continues today because the body parts can be sold for a lot of money. Several traditional medicines use tiger parts as a cure for all kinds of illnesses, from pimples to toothaches. These “cures” have never been proven to be effective. Tigers also suffer from habitat loss.

When people move into areas where tigers live, tigers are forced into smaller and smaller areas where there may not be enough food for the big cats to survive. Tiger researchers estimate that there are no more than 5,000 tigers in the world. But there is a lot of work being done to make sure that tigers will survive. In the early 1970s, India began passing laws against killing tigers. Since then, other countries with wild tigers have passed similar laws. Many countries around the world, including the United States, have passed laws to stop the sale of products made from tiger parts. International projects exist that help protect wild tiger habitat. Zoos help tigers through breeding programs and by teaching people around the world about these cats. San Diego Zoo Global has teamed with Way Kambas National Park in Sumatra, Indonesia, a major habitat for Sumatran tigers Panthera tigris sumatrae. We are funding studies to determine the number and distribution of these critically endangered big cats. You can help us bring species back from the brink by supporting the San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy . Together we can save and protect wildlife around the globe.

Sounds Rhinoceros | San Diego Zoo - Kids San Diego Zoo Eastern and southern Africa, India, Nepal, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia Habitat: Open grasslands and floodplains, swamps, and rain forests Food: Grasses or leaves, depending on the species Size: 5 to 13 feet long, depending on species Babies: Females give birth to a single calf, which weighs over 100 pounds! A group of rhinos is sometimes called a “crash!" Touting Their HornsGrowths on the head of an antelope, cow, sheep, or goat that are never shed. Rhinoceroses get their name from their most famous feature: their hornsGrowths on the head of an antelope, cow, sheep, or goat that are never shed.. The word rhinoceros comes from the Greek rhino (nose) and ceros (horn). Rhinos may look tough, but their skin is actually quite sensitive. They can sunburn and biting insects "bug" them. That's why they like to wallow in mud—it puts a layer between their skin and the sun and insects!

There are five types of rhinos: black, white, Sumatran, Javan, and Indian. Javan and Indian rhinos have only one horn, while Sumatran, black, and white rhinos have two. Rhinos are often hunted for their hornsGrowths on the head of an antelope, cow, sheep, or goat that are never shed., which are falsely believed in some cultures to have medicinal uses. Sumatran Tiger Sumatran Tiger Size Adult males: up to eight feet from head to tail, up to 300 pounds; adult females: up to seven feet from head to tail, around 200 pounds Range The Indonesian island of Sumatra Habitat Lowland forests, mountain forests, and peat moss forests. Sumatran tigers also venture into mountainous areas. Lifestyle Sumatran tigers are solitary, generally only coming together to mate. A male's territory may overlap several females' territories, but not other males'. Food Sumatran tigers are carnivores, and prey on small animals from fish and birds, to large ungulates like wild boar, tapir, and deer.

Life Cycle In the wild, life expectancy is about 12 years; up to 20 years in zoos. Mating may occur at any time, but is most common between November and April. Gestation is approximately 110 days. Litters consist of one to five helpless cubs weighing just over 2 pounds. The cubs stay with their mother for about two years, then begin to establish their own territories. Sexual maturity is reached at 3-4 years for females, and 4- 5 years for males. Some of My Neighbors (IN THE WILD) Orangutans, wild boar, tapir, Sumatran rhino, Sumatran Elephant Population Status & Threats Listed as critically endangered by the IUCN; there are fewer than 400 individuals in the wild. Habitat loss due to human activities, as well as poaching, is intensifying this crisis. Zoo Atlanta Conservation Efforts Zoo Atlanta's Sumatran Tigers are part of the AZA Species Survival Plan (SSP). Through the SSP, we are able to help ensure that the captive population of Sumatran tigers is as genetically varied and healthy as possible.

Facts About Rhinos Facts About Rhinos By Alina Bradford, Live Science Contributor | March 23, 2016 05:34pm ET MORE Credit: Tim_Booth | Shutterstock Rhinoceroses are large, herbivorous mammals identified by their characteristic horned snouts. The word "rhinoceros" comes from the Greek "rhino" (nose) and "ceros" (horn). There are five species and 11 subspecies of rhino; some have two horns, while others have one. Because the animals' horns are used in folk medicine for their supposed healing properties, rhinos have been hunted nearly to extinction. Their horns are sometimes sold as trophies or decorations, but more often they are ground up and used in traditional Chinese medicine . The powder is often added to food or brewed in a tea in the belief that the horns are a powerful aphrodisiac, a hangover cure and treatment for fever, rheumatism, gout and other disorders, according to the International Rhino Foundation . Conservation status Save the Rhino estimates that there were 500,000 rhinos across Africa and Asia at the beginning of the 20th century.

Today, the group says, there are 29,000 rhinos in the wild. Poaching and loss of habitat have put all rhino species in danger of extinction. [ Related: 2013 Was Record Year for Rhino Poaching in South Africa ] According to International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species : A black rhino carcass with the horn hacked off. Credit: Lowveld Trust. Black rhinos , Sumatran rhinos and Javan rhinos are "critically endangered," which is the list's highest risk category. There are 5,055 black rhinos, fewer than 100 Sumatran rhinos and only 35 to 44 Javan rhinos. [ Related: Javan Rhino Officially Extinct in Vietnam ] Greater one-horned rhinos are "vulnerable," which means they may become endangered unless circumstances improve. Fortunately, their population is increasing; there are 3,333 greater one-horned rhinos in the world. The total population estimate in 2007 was 2,575 individuals, according to the IUCN.

White rhinos are "near threatened," which means they may be considered threatened by extinction in the near future. Southern white rhinos have an increasing population; there are 20,405 southern white rhinos. However, the northern white rhino is considered "extinct" in the wild. In 2009, four northern white rhinos were moved from a zoo in the Czech Republic to a private conservancy in Kenya in the hope that they would breed, according to the IUCN . On Oct. 18, 2014, Ol Pejeta Conservancy announced that one of them, one of the last two breeding males, had died. He was not a victim of poaching, however, and the conservancy was investigating the cause of death. There are now only three northern white rhinos left in the world, all living in captivity, according to the World Wildlife Fund . The captive northern white rhinos include a male (named Sudan) and two females — Najin and Fatu — all of which live in the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya.

The two females are incapable of a successful pregnancy: Najin is too old and issues with her legs make it impossible for her to support the weight of a mounting male; Fatu has a uterine condition that will likely keep her from breeding, according to experts. With natural breeding attempts nixed for the northern white rhinos, conservationists have turned to in vitro fertilization. However, IVF in these rhinoceroses comes with its own set of challenges, including figuring out how to get immature eggs to develop outside of the female's body and also how to inject sperm into these eggs. As for the Sumatran rhinos, they are hanging on by a thread as well. Along with the Javan rhino, Sumatran rhinos are barely hanging on in the wild. They went extinct in Vietnam in 2010 and in Malaysia in 2015 , according to the International Rhino Foundation. Small populations of the subspecies survive in three national parks in Sumatra. And in March 2016, conservationists captured a live Sumatran rhinoceros in the Indonesian part of the island of Borneo for the first time.

Though a camera-trap image snapped in 2013 revealed Sumatran rhinos did survive in this region called Kalimantan, the capture of the female marked the first time in 40 years that humans had physically contacted a live Sumatran rhino there. Rhino horns Rhino horns are made of keratin, which is also the key component of human hair and fingernails . But the horns are not just dense clumps of hair. CT scans have shown dense mineral deposits of calcium and melanin in the core of the horn. The calcium makes the horn stronger, and the melanin protects it from the sun's UV rays, according to scientists at Ohio University. The horns are similar to horse hooves, turtle beaks and cockatoo bills, said Tobin Hieronymus, an OU doctoral student. Rhino horns tend to curve backward , toward the head, because the keratin in front grows faster than the keratin in the back, Hieronymus told Live Science. The outside of the horn is rather soft and can be worn down or sharpened after years of use, according to the San Diego Zoo . If a horn breaks off, it can gradually grow back.

Black rhinos, white rhinos and Sumatran rhinos have two horns. Javan rhinos and greater one-horned rhinos have one. On the black rhino, the front horn can grow to 20 to 51 inches (51 to 130 centimeters), while the rear horn can grow to about 20 inches, according to the International Rhino Foundation. A white rhino's horns are slightly smaller, and a Sumatran rhinos horns are about 10 to 31 inches (25 to 79 cm) for the front and less than 3 inches (7 cm) for the rear. The greater one-horned rhino's horn is 8 to 24 inches (20 to 61 cm), and Javan rhinos have a horn that is about 10 inches (25 cm) long. How big are rhinos? The largest rhino species is the white rhino, according to the San Diego Zoo . It grows to 12 to 13 feet (3.7 to 4 meters) long and up to 6 feet (1.8 m) from hoof to shoulder.

It weighs around 5,000 lbs. (2,300 kilograms). The smallest rhino species is the Sumatran rhino. It grows to 8 to 10 feet (2.5 to 3 m) long and up to 4.8 feet (1.5 m) from hoof to shoulder. The Sumatran rhino weighs around 1,765 lbs. (800 kg). Habitat White rhinos and black rhinos live in the grasslands and floodplains of eastern and southern Africa. Greater one-horned rhinos can be found in the swamps and rain forests of northern India and southern Nepal. Sumatran and Javan rhinos are found only in small areas of Malaysian and Indonesian swamps and rain forests. Rhinos spend their days and nights grazing and only sleep during the hottest parts of the day. During the rare times when they aren't eating, they can be found enjoying a cooling mud soak. These soaks also help to protect the animals from bugs, and the mud is a natural sunblock, according to National Geographic . Though rhinos are often solitary, they do occasionally form groups.

Called crashes, these groups are made up of a female and her offspring. A dominant male rules over an area of land. The male will allow some sub-dominate males to live on his territory. Females roam freely around several different territories. Diet Rhinoceroses are herbivores, which means they eat only vegetation. The type of vegetation they eat varies by species. This is because their snouts are different shapes to accommodate different types of food, according to National Geographic . For example, the black rhino eats trees or bushes because its long lips allow it to pick leaves and fruit from up high. The white rhino has a flat-shaped snout that lets it get closer to the ground for eating grass. Offspring Every two and a half to five years, a female rhino will reproduce. Female rhinos carry their young for a gestation period of 15 to 16 months. They usually only have one baby at a time, though they do sometimes have twins. At birth, baby rhinos, which are called calves, are still quite big, at 88 to 140 lbs. (40 to 64 kg), according to the San Diego Zoo.

At around 3 years old, the calf will set out on its own. A rhino can live up to 45 years. Classification/taxonomy According to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS), the taxonomy of rhinos is: Kingdom: Animalia Family: Rhinocerotidae Genera & species: White rhinos: Ceratotherium simum (southern white rhinoceros), Ceratotherium cottoni (northern white rhinoceros). IUCN lists these as subspecies of Ceratotherium simum. Sumatran rhinos: Dicerorhinus sumatrensis (also called hairy rhino, Asian two-horned rhino).

Subspecies: Dicerorhinus sumatrensis harrisoni, Dicerorhinus sumatrensis lasiotis, Dicerorhinus sumatrensis sumatransis Black rhinos: Diceros bicornis (black rhino).Subspecies: Diceros bicornis bicornis, Diceros bicornis brucii, Diceros bicornis chobiensis, Diceros bicornis ladoensis, Diceros bicornis longipes, Diceros bicornis michaeli, Diceros bicornis minor, Diceros bicornis occidentalis Javan rhinos: Rhinoceros unicornis Greater one-horned rhinos: Rhinoceros sondaicus (also called Indian rhino). Subspecies: Rhinoceros sondaicus annamiticus, Rhinoceros sondaicus inermis, Rhinoceros sondaicus sondaicus Other facts Fewer than 250 Sumatran rhinos (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) are left in the wild.

Credit: Copyright Save the Rhino International Though rhinos don't often hang out with each other, they do hang out with birds. The oxpecker will sit on a rhino's back and eat the bugs that crawl on the rhino's skin. That's not the only thing this bird is good for. When danger approaches, the bird will call out, warning the rhino. When rhinos are happy, they make a loud "mmwonk" sound with their mouths. Black rhinos are not actually black, according to the International Rhino Foundation. They probably got that name from the dark, muddy soil they like to wallow in or to distinguish them from white rhinos. Poachers also value rhino horns for making ornamental dagger handles called jambiyas, according to Save the Rhino. This type of handle became a status symbol in Yemen in the 1970s and '80s, fueled by the oil boom, when more people could afford luxury items. Jambiyas can be made from precious metal, buffalo hide or plastic, but those made from rhino horn were considered the "Rolex" version. Save the Rhino reports that this use of rhino horn has accounted for fewer poaching incidents in recent years.

The woolly rhino died out about 10,000 years ago. Fossils have been discovered throughout Europe and Asia, according to the International Rhino Foundation. Early humans hunted these animals, and they were depicted in paintings on cave walls in France 30,000 years ago. Additional resources Sumatran Tiger | Species | WWF Sumatran Tiger Adopt a Tigerh Overview This tiger subspecies is found only on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Fewer than 400 Sumatran tigers exist today. In 1978, experts estimated the population of Sumatran tigers at 1,000. CR Status e Habitats Tropical broadleaf evergreen forests, freshwater swamp forests and peat swamps Sumatran tigers are the smallest surviving tiger subspecies and are distinguished by heavy black stripes on their orange coats. The last of Indonesia’s tigers—as few as 400 today—are holding on for survival in the remaining patches of forests on the island of Sumatra. Accelerating deforestation and rampant poaching mean this noble creature could end up like its extinct Javan and Balinese relatives. In Indonesia, anyone caught hunting tigers could face jail time and steep fines.

But despite increased efforts in tiger conservation—including strengthening law enforcement and antipoaching capacity—a substantial market remains in Sumatra and the rest of Asia for tiger parts and products. Sumatran tigers are losing their habitat and prey fast, and poaching shows no sign of decline. A better road ahead for wild tigers Earlier this year, WWF estimated an increase in the number of tigers worldwide, up to 3,890 in 2016 from an estimated 3,200 in 2010. But success to date is tenous: According to a new report from WWF, tigers now face a threat far greater than many we’ve tackled before: linear infrastructure. Continue Reading h More Stories h Why They Matter The island of Sumatra is the only place where tigers, rhinos, orangutans and elephants live together. The presence of the Sumatran tiger is an important indicator of a forest's biodiversity. Protecting tigers and their habitat means many other species benefit—including humans.

Threats No reasonable doubt that the last individual has died EW Known only to survive in cultivation, in captivity or as a naturalised population CR Facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the Wild EN Facing a high risk of extinction in the Wild VU Facing a high risk of extinction in the Wild NT Likely to qualify for a threatened category in the near future LC Does not qualify for Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable, or Near Threatened Habitat Loss Habitat for the Sumatran tiger has been drastically reduced by clearing for agriculture, plantations and settlement. On many parts of the island, illegal timber harvesting and forest conversion are out of control. About 16.6 million acres of forest—larger than the state of West Virginia—were lost in Sumatra between 1985 and 1997. Even protected areas face problems. In addition, forest conversion has isolated national parks from one another. Illegal Wildlife Trade Most tigers in Sumatra are killed deliberately for commercial gain. According to a survey from TRAFFIC, the global wildlife trade monitoring network, poaching for trade is responsible for over 78% of estimated Sumatran tiger deaths—amounting to at least 40 animals per year.

Despite intensified conservation and protection measures in Sumatra and the apparent global success in curtailing markets for tiger bone, there is no evidence that tiger poaching has declined significantly on the island since the early 1990s. Human-Wildlife Conflict Habitat destruction forces tigers into settled areas in search of food and where they are more likely to come into conflict with people. Human-tiger conflict is a serious problem in Sumatra. People have been killed or wounded, and livestock fall prey to tigers. Retaliatory action by villagers can result in the killing of tigers. “With so much deforestation and poaching in Sumatra, wild tigers face a very difficult future, but we have the tools available to reverse their decline if the clearance of their forest can be halted.” Dr. Barney Long Asian Species Expert What WWF Is Doing Antipoaching and Conflict Mitigation Efforts WWF works to decrease Sumatran tiger poaching incidents and helps law enforcement officers increase surveillance. WWF Tiger Protection Units patrol vulnerable areas, gather intelligence against wildlife crime, and help keep forests safe by removing poachers' traps and snares. The units have eliminated or drastically reduced poaching where they operate.

In addition to educating communities about how to live with tigers, the units also respond to reports of human-tiger conflict and captured tigers. Influencing Land-Use Planning WWF helps design land-use plans that incorporate critical wildlife habitat. Sumatra’s district and provincial governments are integrating this information into their plans, including zoning decisions and concessions for economic activities. Along with WWF’s efforts to mitigate the palm, pulp and paper, and timber industries’ impact on the island’s biodiversity, this work helps Sumatra balance environmental realities with people’s social and economic needs. Protecting Tiger Habitat WWF successfully lobbied corporate partners and the Indonesian state government to declare the Tesso Nilo tiger landscape a protected area in 2004. It is most likely the last remaining block of lowland tropical rainforest for tigers in Sumatra. Using the momentum of the Year of the Tiger in 2010, WWF pushed for six priority landscapes for tigers to be included in the National Tiger Recovery Program, which was adopted as a global program by 13 tiger range countries. Monitoring Tigers Camera trap used to obtain images of Sumatran tigers WWF is undertaking groundbreaking research on tigers in central Sumatra.

Using camera traps to estimate population size and distribution as well as habitat use, we identify wildlife corridors that require protection across the central Sumatran tiger landscape. Sumatran Rhino | International Rhino Foundation IUCN RED LIST: Critically Endangered Fewer than 100 Sumatran rhinos survive in very small and highly fragmented populations. The Sumatran rhino is the most endangered of all rhinoceros species due to its rapid rate of decline. Because of poaching, numbers have decreased more than 50% over the last 20 years, with the only populations now in Indonesia. The species was declared extinct in the wild in Malaysia in 2015. Sumatran rhinos exist only in protected areas where they are physically guarded by Rhino Protection Units. Continued protection, combined with consolidating small, fragmented populations into larger ones, provides the best possible hope for the species’ survival. Biology The Sumatran rhino lives in dense tropical forest, both lowland and highland, mainly on the Indonesian island of Sumatra and in central Borneo. This species is a browser and an opportunistic feeder with a very varied diet that may include more than one hundred plant species.

Sumatran rhinos live between 35 and 40 years. Gestation lasts approximately 15-16 months, and mothers are believed to give birth to one calf about every 3 years. These tropical forest dwellers are generally solitary in nature. Current Sumatran Rhino Numbers and Distribution Fewer than 100 Sumatran rhinos survive in fragmented populations in Indonesia’s Bukit Barisan, Gunung Leuser, and Way Kambas National Parks, and a small population was recently found in central Kalimantan. CITES: Appendix I Asian Two-Horned Rhinoceros: the only two-horned rhino in the Asian region.

Scientific Name and Origin Dicerorhinus sumatrensis "Dicerorhinus": from the Greek di, meaning "two" and “ceros”, meaning "horn" and “rhinos”, meaning "nose" and “sumatrensis” referring to Sumatra (with the Latin-ensis, meaning locality) Physical Characteristics Weight: 1,300 - 2,000 pounds (600 - 950 kg) Height: 3 - 5 feet (1.0 -1.5m) tall at shoulder Length: 6.5 - 9.5 feet (2.0 - 3.0m) length of body HORN Sumatran rhinos have two horns. The front horn is larger and measures 10 - 31 inches (25-79 cm) long. The second horn is smaller, generally less than 3 inches (10 cm). Other Features

Question: Which animals have types named Black, White and Sumatran?
Answer: Rhinoceros